List saving cloth rest



P 3 a. G. RICHARDSON 1,927,417

LIST SAVING CLOTH REST .Filed April 4, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l In uu inu Se t. 19, 1933. c, s. RICHARDSON LIST SAVING CLOTH REST Filed April 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a f07 71e3 J Patented Sept. 19, 1933 UNITED STATES LIST SAVING CLOTH REST Charles G. Richardson, Springfield, Vt., assignor to Parks & Woolson Machine Company, Springfield, Vt., a corporation of Vermont.

I Application April 4, 1931. Serial No. 527,749

13 Claims.

This invention relates .to cloth rests of the list saving type and is intended "to provide a cloth controlled extensible rest which shall possess in a very high degree quick. and sensitive. response 5. to the lateral swerving movements of the cloth, so that the portion .of the extensible rest that is in alignment with, or subtending, that portion of the list .or selvage of the cloth immediately approaching the shearing line of the cloth rest shall .be retracted in close .correspondence with the swerving movements of the cloth, so that the list passing over the edge of the cloth rest shall be dropped away from thefiy blade to prevent it from being severed or cut by the blade.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises a cloth rest provided with extensible or slidable joints at each side of the middle portion combined, or associated, with an upstanding pivotal feeler arranged to be engaged by the adjacent '20 edge of the cloth to cause the inward or outward movement of a joint actuating member, that will retract the appropriate joints as'the cloth swerves in and out to save the list' orselvage 7 from being cut by the fly blade. This and other -features of the invention will be particularly described in the following specification and will be defined in the claims annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a simple and effective construction embodying the principlesof this invention, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the cloth rest portion of a shearing machine in association with the ledger blade and the revolving fly blade on the plane X-Xof Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section of the cloth rest on the plane Y-Y of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the right hand end portion of the cloth rest and its actuating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the vertical feeler engaging the extreme edge of the cloth.

Fig. 5 isa-plan view, partly in section,.showing the relation of the front or heelends of the joints to the joint actuator slide bar.

4 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an individual joint.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the cam portion of the joint actuator.

5 thus requiring a 'tensioning spring for normally In my United States Patent No. 1,768,490 dated moving the pawl in one direction, the pawl being actuated by frictional engagement of the edge of the cloth with fingers embracing the edge of the cloth. I p I have found that by the use of a feeler actuated pawl mounted upon a horizontal axis with its two opposite hook ends adapted to engage a rack bar and with an upstanding finger bearing lightly against the very edge of the cloth,'practically at right angles thereto, a'much more delicateand prompt response to the lateral swerving movements of the cloth approaching the shearing line can be effected .and this constitutes one of' the, main features of the present invention.

The cloth rest beam 1 extends transversely across the shearing machine, presenting at its upper rear corners an. acute angle edge immediately in front of the vertical ledger blade 2 and the path of the revolving blades of the fiy blade or revolving shear 3. i 7

Each end of the stationary transverse cloth-rest beam 1 is formed at its top with a shallow recess adapted to receive a plurality of slidable joints or-extensions- 4, whose rear end contour corresponds to the contour of the corresponding edge of the cloth rest, but which are capable of retraction from, and projection to, the shearing line through the agency of the cloth controlled feeler. The joints 4 are provided with underneath notches 4" near their forward ends to leave a projecting heel member 4 at the bottom edge of the front end of the joint, that is, the end of the joint lying toward the front of the machine. As

'most plainly shown in Fig. 6, this heel member i 'has its outside rear corner bevelled oiI slightly, while the diagonally opposite corner is also bevelled oil to facilitate and make easy the action of the oblique cam portion of the cam bar in moving the joints 'rearwardly and retracting them, as occasion requires.

The joint actuating bar comprises a horizontal transversely slidable bar 5 having asubstantially vertical rear surface to which the pawl 6 is pivota'lly secured. This cam bar 5, whose front face is preferably flat throughout, has its upper portion machined to provide two relatively offset rear faces 5 and 5 with a short intermediate oblique face 5 forming the thrust cam by which the front end faces of the joints are pushed for- 'ward to move the subtending jointsup t0. the.

shearing line in line with the solid cloth presenting edge of the cloth rest beam 1. The lower portion of the rear face of this bar 5 follows a similar contour, but rearwardly offset from the surfaces 5 and 5 and 5, and to this rearward face 5 are secured two supplemental cam bars 7 and 7 which are fastened by screws to the lower portion of the rear face of the main cam bar 5 to provide a transverse offset groove 5 for the reception of the heel members 4 of each individual joint 4. This making of the cam bar in three sections simplifies and cheapens the cost of constructing this cam bar and permits disassembling for the purpose of grinding the joint-engaging faces of the cam bar to take up wear and prevent undue backlash or play. It constitutes a valuable feature of the present invention.

In a suitable recess in the front of the cloth rest beam 1 is mounted a rack bar 8, which is held slidably in position by a retainingbracket 19 fastened to the front face of the cloth rest beam 1. The rack teeth of this rack bar are formed on the upper face thereof and above the rack teeth is mounted about a substantially horizontal axis the feeler pawl 6 with its oppositely hooked ends 6 and 6 forming engaging teeth which, in the neutral position shown in Fig. 4, are both out of engagement with the underneath rack teeth 8 of the sliding rack bar 8. The inner arm of this pawl 6 is somewhat overweighted and to it is secured an upstanding feeler 6, which com-- prises a light blade of sheet metal or other suitable material projecting upward in line with the horizontal axis of the pawl 6, so as to extend vertically across the edge of the cloth w a short distance in advance of the shearing line. It will be seen that this gravity pawl can be made very sensitive to follow instantly the inward swerving movement of the cloth, thereby engaging the tooth or hook 6 with the rack bar to force the cam bar 5 inwardly, while a very slight pressure against it of the edge of the cloth is sufficient to rock the feeler and pawl in the opposite direction to engage the tooth 6 of the pawl with the rack bar. This construction affordsa very sensitive, delicate and quick acting feeler device for operatively engaging the reciprocating rack bar 8 with the joint actuating cam bar 5 and, furthermore, it avoids any binding action that would make the movement of the feeler or the actuation of the cam bar difiicult.

,A rearwardly tapered, transverse cover plate 9 is secured on top of each end of the cloth rest beam 1 with its top surface in flush relation to the top surface of the middle portion of the cloth beam 1, so as to overlie the joints 4 and the reciprocating cam bar 5. From the front portion of the top extends forwardly a sheet metal guard plate 10 supported by a cross bar 10 and by a bracket 11 extending upwardly from the lower portion of the coth rest beam 1, a gap being left in accordance with the usual practice for the bristles of the flock brush 12 to engage the underneath face of the cloth advancing toward the shearing line. A gap in this guard plate 10, as shown inFig. 3, is also left above the rack bar corresponding in transverse length sub-.

stantially to the transverse length of the series ofjoints to allow the feeler finger 6 to project upwardly throughthe guard plate to engage the edge of the cloth and to move in and out in correspondence with the swerving of the cloth.

It will be observed that the thrust bearing engagement between the rear face of the cam bar 5 and the forward ends of the joints 4 comprises the whole depth of the end portion of each joint, thereby giving a large bearing area for the distribution of wear on this face of the joint in contradistinction with the usual construction of a spline bar projecting upward into a shallow notch formed in the underside of the joints themselves. The bevelling of the corners of the ear portion of the joints also facilitates the action of the en gagingcam portion of the cam bar and also distributes the wear over a substantial area inasmuch as the outside or front bevel, which engages the cam when the joint is projected likewise, extends the whole depth of the joint. This construction makes possible the use of relatively light small joints or extensions which are very easily actuated. It will of course be understood that the principal resistance, or thrust, upon the cam bar is encountered when the joints are projected forward against the tension of the cloth and thisconstruction provides a substantial area on even a small joint for distributing the wear of this thrust,

The pivotal axis of the feeler pawl or ratchet with the described arrangement may be very close to the rack bar teeth so that the thrust of the rack bar teeth on the pawl, when the pawl is tilted in either direction, is not much offset from The upstanding" the pivotal center ofthe pawl. feeler finger 6 gives a long leverage and, as the edge of the cloth works at substantially right angles to this finger, it will be seen that a light pressure of -the cloth produces the maximum effect. The whole construction, therefore, results in a very easy, light running action that is instantly responsive to the swerving movements of the cloth, while at the. same time the construction is one that is inexpensive to manufacture and to maintainin efficient condition.

What I claim is:

1. An extensible cloth rest for a cloth finishing machine embracing in combination with a cloth rest provided with end extensions, an a o tuator for moving one or more extensions in or out to shorten or to extend the effective length of theadjacent end of the cloth rest edge, and

means for operating said actuator comprising-a vibratory ratchet bar and an intermittently engaged feeler dog pivotally carried by-said actuator on a horizontal axis, said feeler dog having a feeler finger projecting vertically upward beyond the edge of the cloth and partaking of the in. and out swerving movements of the cloth edge to form active connection between the vibratory ratchet bar and said actuator.

2. An extensible cloth rest fora cloth finishing machine embracing in combination with a cloth rest provided with end extensions, an actuator formoving one or more of said extensions to restshortening or rest-lengthening position, a vibratory ratchet bar, and means forming an intermittent operative engagement between said ratchet bar and said actuator, said means comprising a feeler dog arranged to engage the extreme edge of the cloth and pivotally supported by said ac tuater to rock about an axis extending in the direction of the travel of the cloth.

3. An extensible cloth rest for a cloth finishing machine embracing in combination with a clot rest having movable endextensions, an actuator for moving one. or more, of said extensions in position to shorten or to extend the adjacent end of the cloth rest edge. a vibratory ratchet bar, and means for intermittently establishing operative connection between said ratchet bar and said actuator, said means comprising a pivotal feeler dog carried by the ratchet bar and mounted to rock in a plane transverse to, the edge of the cloth.

4. A feeler dog for controlling the extension and shortening of one end of an extensible cloth rest embracing in its construction, a pawl pivoted upon a horizontal axis to rock transversely of the direction of travel of the cloth, said dog being provided at opposite sides of its pivotal axis with oppositely inclined ratchet engaging members and having projecting from its axis an upright feeler finger adapted to engage the edge of the cloth, and to follow its inward and outward swerving movements.

5. An extensible cloth rest whose end portions comprise movable extensions adapted to form endwise extensions of the fixed edge of the cloth rest, means for moving each extension in or out according to the swerving movements of the adjacent edge of the cloth, said means comprising actuating mechanism, including an energizing feeler dog mounted to maintain constant contact with the adjacent edge of the cloth by a rocking movement in a plane transverse to the travel of the cloth and thereby cause the extension actuating mechanism to effect the shortening of the lengthening of the adjacent end of the cloth rest as the adjacent edge of the cloth swerves in or out.

6. An extensible clothrest for a shearing machine embracing, fixed and movable sections, a cam bar movable transversely of the travel of the cloth and having abutting engagement with the front end faces of the movable sections to push them rearwardly to form a lateral aligned extension of the rear edge of the fixed portion of the rest, said cam bar having also a rearwardly offset rib parallel to its section abutting surface for engaging the rearwardly exposed surface of said movable sections to retract individual sections from their rearward rest-extending position as the adjacent cloth edge swerves inwardly, and means for coordinating the in and out movements of the cam bar with the in and out movements of the cloth.

'7. In an extensible cloth rest the combination with a fixed cloth rest member, of extension joints movable longitudinally of the cloth to rearward rest-extending position and to forward restshortening position, a cam bar movable transversely of the travel of the cloth having abutting engagement with the front end faces of said joints, said front end faces having their inward side edges bevelled to form fiat engagement with the actuating cam portion of the bar, and means for moving the cam bar in and out in coordination with the in and out movements of the adjacent edges of the cloth.

8. The combination with a cloth rest provided with movable extension sections for laterally ex-,

tending the edge of the cloth rest to support the subtending portion of the cloth, a cam bar movable transversely of the cloth to maintain the different sections in their active, or in their retracted, positions according to the position of the edge of the cloth, said cam bar having its inclined cam surface located beneath the edge of the travelling cloth, and means for moving said cam bar in accordance with the inand out move- 5 ments of the cloth embracing a ratchet dog pivoted to rock about a horizontal axis located in the vertical plane intersecting the edge of the cloth.

9. The combination with a cloth rest having lateral sectional extensions movable to and from 1 operative position, an actuator for moving said sections individually to and from active position, means for shifting said actuator in conformity with the in and out movements of the edge of the cloth, said means embracing a ratchet bar and a gravity feeler dog alternately actuated by its own unbalanced weight to form an operative connection between the ratchet bar and the actuator when the cloth swerves inward and by outward pressure of the edge of the cloth when the cloth swerves outward.

10. An actuating cam bar for extending the effective length of the rear edge of a cloth rest embracing in its construction, a main bar whose rear face is formed with two relatively offset surfaces extending transversely of the travel of the cloth to engage rear ends of the movable extensions and push the extensions rearwardly, and a separable bar secured to the lower portion of the rear face of said main bar in spaced relation to the upper portion of the main bar and having at its top a similarly offset rib adapted to engage notches in the under faces of the movable sections to retract the sections from their rearmost position.

11. An actuating cam bar for advancing and retracting individual extension joints of an extensible cloth rest comprising, a front bar provided with rear faces adapted to engage the front end faces of a plurality of joints, said rear faces consisting of relatively offset joint engaging surfaces lying in parallel planes, and an intermediate inclined cam surface, and a retracting rib spaced from said joint engaging surfaces to leave an intermediate groove for receiving heel members located at the forward ends of the extension joints in order to retract the joints individually from their operative rearward position.

12. An actuating cam bar for moving individual extension joints of an extensible cloth rest to and from operative position comprising, a front bar provided with rear faces adapted to form thrust engagement with the front end faces of a plurality of joints, said rear faces comprising relatively offset joint engaging surfaces lying in parallel planes transversely of the travel of the cloth, andan intermediate oblique cam face, and retracting means embracing two bars detachably secured to the bottom portion of the rear face of said front bar and provided with upwardly projecting relatively offset ribs having an intermediate oblique surface, said ribs being spaced from the thrust surfaces of the rear face of said bar to form an intervening channel for the reception rest beam whose upper rear edge forms an angular support for presenting the clothpassing over it to the action of a shearing couple, said beam being provided with shallow recesses at its opposite ends to receive extension joints that are rearwardly movable to the shearing line, the front portion of said beam being provided with a deeper recess, a joint actuating cam bar adapted to slide in said deeper recess, a pivot pin projecting forwardly from the front face of said cam bar, a, I

feeler dog mounted on said pivot pin and provided with an upwardly extending finger adapted to extend above the plane of the cloth and engage the edge thereof, a vibratory ratchet bar mounted below said feeler dog and provided with upwardly turned teeth to be engaged alternately with teeth projecting from said feeler dog on opposite sides of its pivotal axis.

CHARLES G. RICHARDSON. 

